Monthly Archives: June 2022

The governments plan to reintroduce imperial measures is a clear attempt to win a few cheers from the readers of the Daily Telegraph. This is no crime governments must please their bases, after all. If you are the sort of stout-hearted Brexiteer whose heart still aches for Metric Martyrs, this triumph over Brussels pernicious efforts at standardisation is a welcome benefit of our exit from the European Union. For those of us of a more cynical bent, however, this is a tedious attempt to piggyback on the Jubilee by a government enduring a sticky patch.

I say all this despite being a true blue Tory and Telegraph devotee, who would have chosen to Leave had I been old enough to vote in 2016. It thus pains my heart to admit it, but this is an example of the government trying to distract people from its own troubled performance. As inflation roars past 10 per cent, families face surging energy and food bills, and Putins war machine grinds into Ukraine, this policy shows a worrying lack of good priorities in No 10.

I am not opposed to the use of imperial measures. Pounds and ounces sound far more satisfying than kilograms and grams. I will forever prefer miles to kilometres, and I have never been averse to pints. Brussels efforts to harmonise measurements across the continent is exactly the sort of pettifogging micromanagement that I loathe.

But crucially, contrary to the apparent beliefs in certain Brexiteer quarters, it is not the case that using imperial measurements has been illegal since the EU push for harmonisation two decades ago. So long as the greengrocers of Britain choose to display their wares weight in kilograms and grams as well as pounds and ounces, they have always been free to do so.

It is ultimately a great disservice to the public that battier elements of the Eurosceptic movement have been allowed to elevate the imperial push into a cause clbre. Many of us hoped that leaving the EU would enable policy innovation; this sort of tedious headline-grabbing is a painful parody of what Brexit should be. Like the blue passports of a few years ago, it feeds the delusion among the pro-EU world that the 2016 referendum was some huge nostalgia trip, rather than a legitimate and necessary defence by British voters of the sovereignty fundamental to our democracy.

I dont regret backing Brexit, but I am willing to say that the government has largely failed to take proper advantage of the freedoms that leaving the EU provides. It is fair enough that for these past two years it has been rather distracted, but Covid is even more reason to stop messing around with measurement systems and to get back to addressing the genuine challenges facing voters today.

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Imperial measures are a painful parody of the Brexit I supported - The New Statesman

June 2021 was the first full month of that year in which anything beyond a skeleton aviation industry could operate to, from and within the UK.

Travellers had only just been released from the 19-week international travel ban; Portugal was the only major country on the quarantine-free green list (a status it would lose just days later).

The UK aviation industry was crushed, and every time it tried to rise from the wreckage of hopes, dreams and profits the government would come up with another nonsensical rule to discourage travel. Who could forget amber plus, the category invented just before the main summer holidays started in July 2021 that had no rational basis whatsoever yet served as an effective ban on travel to France?

As June 2022 begins, all the UK travel restrictions are long forgotten (and the government has vowed that any future such measures would be light-touch). And while we seek to make up for lost sunshine, airlines and holiday companies are desperate to start earning proper money again.

Unfortunately, easyJet at Gatwick and Tui at Manchester airport have been found wanting with both businesses cutting flights by the dozen as they seek enough staff to run the planned operation.

As The Independent has pointed out, foreign airlines are having similar rebirth pangs, with the giant US airline Delta pre-emptively grounding flights in July and August. But last-minute cancellations are especially savage, and that is what travellers have been suffering over the past few days and weeks.

The government and some commentators are blaming airports and airlines for being unready. But I think we need to talk about Brexit.

Suggesting that leaving the European Union is to some extent responsible for the current problems the UK is experiencing triggers plenty of online heckling such as a tweet saying: This sh**e happens every half term or bank holiday weekends. This is not a new disease.

Yet in no previous half term have we seen a major airline cancelling 10 per cent of its Gatwick schedule because of staff shortage, as easyJet has, nor a giant holiday company (Tui) axing 30,000 holidays due to insufficient ground handling at Manchester.

Talking off the record to airlines and recruiting consultants point to two specific consequences of Brexit. Plenty of European staff left both the British aviation industry and the UK during the Covid pandemic. They have not returned, some no doubt taking up roles in aviation within the EU where they feel more wanted.

The other effect is more subtle but arguably even more significant. Far more Europeans worked in hospitality here than in aviation. A large proportion of them also left the UK. And that created a vast array of vacancies. Many excellent British aviation professionals, furloughed for many months and uncertain if their jobs would ever return, backfilled those roles. They are unlikely to be lured back to a high-stress role with unsocial hours.

Even the most committed Remoaner could not blame all the ills of the travel industry at Brexits door; the worst airport queues in Europe this month have not been in the UK, but at Amsterdam and Dublin. And EU labour continues to help us out, in the shape of airlines such as SmartLynx and Avion Express. You may not have heard of these airlines, which are based in Latvia and Lithuania respectively. They are helping to fill gaps in the easyJet schedules at Gatwick as Finnair and Iberia are doing for British Airways at Heathrow.

Bizarrely, UK airlines can charter in fully crewed EU planes to fly domestic routes though the opposite does not apply. Taking back control takes many strange shapes.

See the article here:

Aviation chaos: We need to talk about Brexit - The Independent

4 min read01 June

With inflation soaring and the cost of living crisis biting, the Chancellors recent 15bn intervention was welcome but more radical thinking is required if we are to energise our economy through these stormy waters and earn another five years of Conservative government.

Given the gargantuan economic challenges ahead, we must dare to assess how Brexit, the biggest geo-political decision in a generation, is faring. So loaded is the B word, many may prefer to steer clear of the subject. But this would be a dereliction of duty.

If an army general, mid-battle, is mature enough to finesse his strategy to secure mission success, then government should do the same. Lets have the courage to dare to make operational amendments as we seek to leverage greater success.

Lets not forget, both Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher endorsed this model

Heres my attempt of how we might adjust the tiller to better maximise our Brexit fortunes.

Political distance from Brussels has been achieved. This is not up for question. However, economically speaking, there is vast room for improvement. The OBR calculates, in its current form, that Brexit is reducing our GDP by four per cent. This compares to around 1.5 per cent caused by Covid.

Put another way: our exports to Europe have shrunk by 20bn. From the fishers who can no longer sell their Scottish salmon, to the farmers undercut by unchecked imports, to Cheshire cheesemakers running into 180 health certificates, even to the City which can no longer sell financial services to Europe, sector after sector is being strangled by the red tape we were supposed to escape from.

Total business investment across the entire United Kingdom economy stalled after 2016 and is 10 per cent down on 2019. European Union workers are turning their backs on the UK, leaving vital gaps in our workforce. Low investment means lower growth. No wonder the IMF forecasts growth for 2023 as half the advanced economy average.

And then theres the unresolved issue of the Irish border. Current plans to bin the Northern Ireland Protocol could trigger a trade war with the EU (causing further economic harm) and is alienating the United States, our closest security ally.

As a recent YouGov poll indicates, this is not the Brexit most people imagined, with the majority believing Brexit has gone badly. There is appetite to make improvements not U-turns but course corrections.

In a nutshell, all these challenges would disappear if we dare to advance our Brexit model by re-joining the EU single market (the Norway model). Leaving this aspect of the EU was not on the ballot paper, nor called for by either the Prime Minister or Nigel Farage during the 2016 referendum. There was, however, much discussion about returning to a common market, which is exactly what I propose.

Any model will have benefits and drawbacks. The single market means the free movement of goods, services, capital and people. It would see 7bn of paperwork and checks go, and boost our economy by restoring free trade to sectors demanding change.

It would require acceptance of some EU regulations. However, UK industry, from food to pharmaceuticals, chemicals to motor manufacturing, says they would be better off working with one common standard rather than having to follow two: both a UK regulatory system and the EU one for most exports.

There remain understandable reservations about the free movement of people in relation to benefit claims which would need addressing, but this is not insurmountable. Lets not forget, both Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher endorsed this model, with the view that the potential economic benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

If joining the single market (with conditions) results in strengthening our economy, easing the cost of living crisis, settling the Irish problem at a stroke and promoting our European credentials as we take an ever greater lead in Ukraine, would it not be churlish to not face this reality?

Tobias Ellwood is the Conservative MP forBournemouth East.

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We can upgrade Brexit and ease the cost of living by going back to the single market - PoliticsHome

On Sunday, the European Commission celebrated 36 years since the raising of the EU flag on Brussels' institutional buildings. Hailing the moment, the official Twitter account of the French Presidency of the EU Council posted: "36 years ago, the European flag was officially raised outside the buildings of the European Commission, before the Commissions President at the time, Jacques Delors."

Mr Beaune took the opportunity to take a swipe at those "who want to leave" the EU, in a thinly-veiled hint at Brexit Britain.

Re-sharing the original post, he added: "Against those who want to leave or disobey, I am proud of the European flag, which enriches our identity and strengthens our country."

Mr Beaune has given his fair share of criticism to the UK, only last summer saying he was "worried" by Britain's "behaviour" towards the Brexit agreement.

The swipe comes as the UK and the EU are still locking horns over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The protocol is aimed at avoiding a hard border with Ireland but has created a series of economic barriers to Irish Sea trade.

The UK Government last week announced its intention to table legislation at Westminster that would override parts of the protocol without the approval of the EU, amid the ongoing power-sharing impasse at Stormont.

The ongoing row with Brussels has also sparked criticism in Ireland.

Last week, Ireland's foreign affairs minister accused the British Government of pushing a "disingenuous" and "dangerous" claim that the Northern Ireland Protocol is incompatible with the Good Friday Agreement.

Simon Coveney told the Irish parliament it is "deeply disappointing" that the Westminster Government plans to move forward with legislation to unilaterally override parts of the protocol.

READ MORE:Putin sends troops on 'suicide mission'

He said that is against the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement, which has embedded Northern Ireland's peace process.

The Fine Gael minister said: "The British Government now claim that implementing the protocol, that we agreed together, is incompatible with the Good Friday Agreement.

"This is disingenuous and it's dangerous. I find it deeply disappointing that the British Government has said it intends to table legislation in the coming weeks that will unilaterally disapply elements of the protocol, which is now international law.

"This action is contrary to the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement, where genuine trust and partnership between both governments have time and time again proved crucial to share progress.

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"As the protocol is an integral part of an international agreement, such action would amount to a serious violation of international law also.

"I've urged the British Government to reconsider, to weigh the risks that would flow from unilateral action, and to step back from this course of action as they have done previously.

"Unilateral action is contrary to the wishes of the majority of people and businesses in Northern Ireland."

In a message to the unionist community, Mr Coveney said the EU has "consistently negotiated" with the British Government to address genuine concerns, and the ball is now in the UK's court.

Additional reporting by Maria Ortega

Read this article:

'I am proud of European flag!' Beaune issues Brexit swipe and fumes at 'disobeying' UK - Express

Brendan Chilton, Leader of the Ashford Labour Group, was left frustrated on social media following reports Boris Johnson will look to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee with an imperial measurement announcement. The move was expected to help shore up support for the Prime Minister and Conservative Party among Eurosceptic voters in battleground constituencies. Mr Johnson is under mounting pressure from Tory MPs and voters following the release of Sue Gray's report into partygate.

Express.co.ukeven reported some MPs believe Sir Graham Brady may call a confidence vote in Mr Johnson on Monday after they suggested enough letters were submitted to the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee yesterday.

YouGov also suggested the Prime Minister has lost his grip in dozens of seats which helped him win an 80 seat majority in 2019 after an MRP poll claimed the Conservatives would hold on to just three out of 88 battleground seats.

Mr Johnson could even lose his own Uxbridge & South Ruislip seat as YouGov suggested Labour could overturn his 15 percent majority to win by five points.

However, despite growing pressure from the public and his party colleagues, the Prime Minister's reported imperial measurement plan has come under fire from several Brexiteers, including Mr Chilton.

JUST IN:Brexiteers give Boris 2,000 ideas to obliterate EU rules - and here are their suggestions

Mr Chilton, who led the Labour Leave campaign in the 2016 referendum, said on Twitter: "The imperial measurements thing is a gimmick designed to hold the support of a small demographic.

"Where is the real Brexit dividend?

"Removing those regulations that impact 80 percent of British businesses to the tune of billions of pounds.

"Its been over two years. Get on with it!"

Mr Chilton, who finished behind the Tories and UKIP when he stood as the Labour candidate in the Brexit-backing Kent seat of Ashford in 2015, previously worked as a research and policy analyst for the then Luton North MP Kelvin Hopkins.

Rutland & Melton MP Alicia Kearns, who was said to be the ringleader of the so-called 'Pork Pie Plot' to oust Mr Johnson, also rebuked the Prime Minister over the plan.

She said: "Not one constituent, ever, has asked for this.

"This isn't a Brexit freedom. It's a nonsense."

Go here to read the rest:

'Get on with it!' Boris urged to find 'real Brexit dividends' following imperial 'gimmick' - Express

French President Emmanuel Macron with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (file picture)

Terming Indian industry's continued focus on Britain as an investment destination as surprising, French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain said on June 3 that Indian companies should shift to France to access the large market of continental Europe.

"Indian investment is still very much channelled towards the United Kingdom, at somewhere between 40-50 percent of the whole stock (of Indian outward investments), which is a bit surprising," Lenain said at a media interaction. He termed such investments a business risk.

"Indian goods bound for the European Union (EU) through the UK would have to go through phytosanitary checks twice, as well as border controls," the Ambassador stressed. He added that exports in sectors such as pharmaceuticals would also face regulatory checks twice.

Instead, he suggested that more Indian companies should move to France, in the backdrop of significant labour reforms put in place by the current administration of President Emmanuel Macron. The administration has also put in place a flat tax on capital gains.

Currently, there are 210 Indian companies with 6000 employees in France as compared to nearly 850 Indian companies in the UK. This includes company such as TCS, Tech Mahindra, Murugappa and Zoho. Lenain said France is the third-largest destination for Indian companies in Europe with an estimated $350 million worth of investments.

France is actively pursuing a policy of getting the European headquarters of corporates shifted to France from the UK, said Eric Fajole, Director of Business France South Asia, France trade promotion body. This also applies for the European headquarters of Indian companies currently based out of Britain.

On the other hand, the Ambassador said that India is fast becoming a preferred investment destination for large sectors of the French economy. Apart from strategic manufacturing this includes technology driven businesses as well. However, the same can't be said of the majority of French companies in China, who were tipped to move out along with most other Western businesses after the geopolitical fallout of the Covid pandemic hit China's reputation.

"Like most European businesses, while they are not currently doubling down on investments in India, they are also not looking to move out at the moment due to the Chinese economy (remaining strong)," Lenain said.

Make in France

France has been the largest destination for Foreign Direct Investment in Europe for the third year in a row, according to the recently released EY Barometer of Europe Attractiveness survey 2022. With 1222 new investment projects, of which 69 percent are extensions of existing projects, the country has seen a 24 percent rise in FDI led projects in 2021, the report says. It adds that the country remains the top most destination for investments into Research and development, in Europe.

The country is also home to 28,000 foreign companies who contribute to 21 percent of national GDP and make up almost one third of exports. FDI into France has risen by 50 percent since Macron first came to power in 2017. The French government believes that Indian manufacturers in the electric vehicle sector can corporate more with EV battery manufacturers in France.

Need holistic FTA

Present at the same interaction, European Union Ambassador Ugo Astuto said the EU wants a comprehensive trade pact with India, which includes chapters on climate change and labour norms. India is negotiating two separate pacts on trade and investments with the European Union and Astuto confirmed that discussions are set to begin shortly.

Continue reading here:

In post-Brexit era, Indian industry should shift investments from UK to France to access European markets:... - Moneycontrol

BREXIT is hammering theeconomyat the worst possible time, theSNPhave said in response to figures revealing a significant drop in food and drink exports.

A report released by the Food and Drink Federation on Wednesday showed that exports to the EU in the first quarter of the year are down by 17.3% more than 600 million on the same period in 2019.

Salmon has been hit especially hard, the figures show, with a drop of 25%. Whisky, however, is performing strongly, with an increase of 9.7%.

Exports to the rest of the world have increased since 2019 by 10.7%. However, this gain (around 222m) is not enough to cover the losses made on trade with the EU post-Brexit (around 628m).

Comparing the first quarter of 2022 to the first quarter of 2019 overall, UK exports of food and drink are down by 7%. However, imports from the EU have actually increased by 13.3%.

The SNP's shadow secretary for environment, food and rural affairs, Deidre Brock MP, said: "The damage of the Tories' extreme Brexit knows no bounds with new figures revealing a plunge in food and drink exports to the EU in just the first three months of this year alone compared to the same period in 2019.

"Brexit is continuing to hammer households and businesses at the worst possible time - with Scotland and the UK being hit with rising food prices, increased paperwork and delays, and drop in exports.

"While scandal-ridden Boris Johnson attempts to distract the public with pounds and ounces, the reality is that Scotland's world-leading food and farming sector is being sold out and Brexit continues to cost our economy.

"The only way for Scotland to escape the long-term damage of Brexit is to become an independent country and re-join the EU and the biggest single trading bloc one which is seven times bigger than the UK market."

The UK Government has been approached for comment.

The rest is here:

Brexit 'still hammering' UK food and drinks exports, report shows - The National

Travelling with a WA (Withdrawal Agreement) Brexit residency card can bring some minor issues or complexities, such as which queue to go in at airports or whether your passport should be stamped.

Parents with Brexit residency cards who travel with children (under 18s) can find it more difficult as the child will not have their own titre de sjour before their 18th birthday in most instances.

British nationals who were living in France before the end of 2020 were able to apply for a Brexit residency card (a titre de sjour portant la mention 'Accord de retrait du Royaume-Uni de lUnion Europenne') to ensure that they maintained similar rights as other EU nationals living in France.

Around 165,000 such cards have been issued to Britons in France.

We look at some of the rules and issues that can arise when travelling with WA cards.

You should as a general rule carry your French residency card with you at all times, if possible, in case of a police check. This document can also be used as an identity document for internal flights in France.

If you are leaving France, even to another EU country, you should also take your passport with you as the residency card is not sufficient on its own. You will not necessarily have your passport checked if you drive across the border to, for example, Spain, but you should have it with you in case.

When you are leaving France or re-entering you should proactively show your WA card to border agents so that they know that you are a French resident and not a British tourist. Do not expect to be asked for this card.

Frances national police has told The Connexion that British citizens (whether they are WA card holders or not) are eligible to use rapid e-gates set up at certain airports and train stations in the country. This is where you get your passport checked electronically using a machine. It only works for biometric passports.

These e-gates are set up in airports such as Paris Charles-de-Gaulle, Orly, Bordeaux, Nice, Marseille and Lyon (see full list here), and the train stations Gare du Nord (Paris), St Pancras (London), Coquelles (Calais) and Folkestone (UK).

The system of using the electronic passport checks, called Parafe, can be used by EU citizens, British citizens, US citizens, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders and more (full list here).

Once a British person has scanned their passport at one of these gates, they must still see a border guard who will check their documents, the spokesperson for the French police said.

This is where a non-WA-card holder will have their passport stamped, and where a WA card holder will show the border guard their card to prove that they are a French resident.

In places where the Parafe system is not in place, British people entering France will have to queue in the lane marked for all passports, or the lane that is not exclusively for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens.

Passport checks are subject to change in the near future when the EUs new Entry/Exit system (EES) is introduced, which is planned for this autumn. See more on this later in the article.

Read more: France-UK travel and passport lanes for British nationals post Brexit

People who have a WA card should not have their passports stamped when they enter France but there have been reports of it happening.

A British Embassy spokeswoman previously confirmed to The Connexion that if they are stamped, it will not have any impact on the rights of the holder in France.

EU law does not prevent border guards from stamping passports but the European Commission has stated that there is little practical use in stamping passports of Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries.

Passports are generally stamped so that border guards can ensure that the person entering the country does not remain in the country longer than they are legally permitted.

This is related in particular to short stay visits which are limited to 90 in 180 days now for British tourists and second-home owners.

Read more: Can you start a French visa while already in the country?

If a person with a WA card has their passport stamped returning to France and then leaves again more than three months later - the legal period of time a British person who is not a French resident is allowed to stay in the country - there will be no legal consequence.

Read more: I hold a Brexit residency card: Why was passport stamped at border?

If you are a holder of a WA residency card and you travel out of France with your child who is under 18 and does not yet have their own residency card, you may find that their passport is stamped upon returning to France.

As is the case with adults whose passports are stamped, this should not be an issue as the child is within their legal rights to remain in France for as long as their parent or guardians visa is valid.

If your childs passport is stamped on the way in, it could be worth bringing proof of your relationship to the child the next time you leave the country, such as a livret de famille or the childs birth certificate.

This is just in case the border guard asks for extra proof that the child is covered by the parent or guardians WA card.

It is possible for children from age 16 to apply (under certain conditions) for a carte de sjour if they plan to work in France and want a card as proof of their right to do so. See more about that here (in French).

Child travelling alone outside of France

If the child is going to travel alone out of France, it might be worth getting a document called a DCEM, which stands for document de circulation pour tranger mineur (travel document for a foreign minor).

This document can be helpful if a young person is going to be travelling away from France, to provide proof of residency when they return. It attests to their legal residency in France.

It is not obligatory, although it might be worth getting one just for peace of mind or to save any potential hassle or confusion.

A parent or guardian can apply for this document online at this link or from their local prefecture, in person, by letter or email, depending on local procedures.

The document is free for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens, listed under the heading of parent europen on the French governments website.

For the majority of other citizens not from these countries, listed under parent tranger en situation rgulire, it costs 50. You must pay using timbres fiscaux worth 50 (select the option Titre pour trangers).

The Connexion believes that British citizens, even those holding WA residency cards, fall under the category of parent tranger en situation rgulire. We have contacted the French interior ministry for confirmation and are awaiting reply.

To get the DCEM, the parent will need to fill out the form cerfa no.11203 and also provide several more documents such as (list not exhaustive):

Parents birth certificate (acte de naissance du demandeur)

Parent and childs passports

Livret de famille

Carte de sjour

Marriage or divorce certificates

Childs proof of enrollment in French education (certificat de scolarit) or any other document proving the child lives in France

Proof of address (justificatif de domicile)

Two photos of the child

Form cerfa no.11203

Timbres fiscaux worth 50

For more information on the documents required, see this link here (in French).

Read more: Does my under 18 need a DCEM travel document for travel from France?

EES

The EU is scheduled to begin implementing a digital passport checking system called the Entry-Exit System (EES) EES from the end of September or the beginning of October (although doubts have been raised over the feasibility of this start date).

The system will involve the collection of information about non-EU citizens entering the Schengen area and is intended to eventually remove the need for passport stamps.

This may resolve problems with border guards stamping the passports of people who hold Withdrawal Agreement residency cards.

Read more: Dover Port boss warns of safety issues and delays with new EU checks

Etias

From early 2023, non-EU travellers will also have to apply online for travel authorisation under Etias (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) before travelling.

Currently, people with visa-free access to the EU can enter the bloc without any travel authorisation. This will change with Etias, which will require these people to apply online for an Etias before travelling. There is a 7 fee.

However, people who hold Withdrawal Agreement residency cards will be exempt from Etias, as they already have a visa allowing them to live in France and Etias is only for people without a visa.

Holders of Brexit residency cards issued in France (or any other EU country) will also be able to travel around the EU without having to pay for an Etias.

Read more: Etias: What is new EU 7 entry process and how might it affect you?

UK passport not stamped on exit from France: Will this cause problems?

Post-Brexit travel healthcare: What is a UK CRA Ehic card?

Britons in France: What is the benefit of EU long-term resident card?

Read more:

Explainer: France's Brexit residency cards and foreign travel - The Connexion

The expansion of the UKs manufacturing sector slowed to a seven-month low as inflation ate into household spending and exports dropped in part due to Brexit.

According to an influential survey, the sector struggled to keep up its growth in May.

Businesses blamed weaker growth in demand from within the UK, fewer export orders, troubled supply chains, rising costs and the war in Ukraine.

As a result the S&P Global/CIPS UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) hit 54.6 in May, down from 55.8 in April.

Anything above 50 means that the manufacturing sector is growing in the UK. If the score falls below 50 it is shrinking.

Although it notched up its 24th consecutive month of growth, the data shows a clear weakening for manufacturers.

A significant part of this is the consumer goods industry. For the first time in 15 months production actually fell, the researchers found when studying survey responses.

The contraction is in part linked to the consumers that are the end target for those goods. Recent inflation means many are struggling to keep up old spending habits.

Household demand slumped in response to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, said Rob Dobson, director at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

With both input costs and selling prices rising at rates close to Aprils peaks, the surveys suggest that there is no sign of the inflationary surge abating any time soon.

Manufacturers continue to report issues getting the right materials, at the right time, for the right price, and energy prices remain a major concern.

New export orders dipped for the eighth time in the last nine months, the survey participants revealed.

Companies said that this was due to Brexit difficulties, delays in transportation, shipping disruptions and orders being cancelled due to the Ukraine war.

The cost that companies had to pay rose substantially in May, although dipped slightly from April when inflation was at near records.

As a result they were forced to raise their own prices. Selling prices rose almost as fast as in April, a record high.

Forward-looking indicators from the survey suggest that a further slowdown may be in the offing, Mr Dobson said.

Business optimism dipped to a 17-month low and weaker demand growth led to surplus production, meaning warehouse stock levels are rising.

Any reversal of this stock-building trend could reinforce the drag of other headwinds and add to downside risks to the outlook.

The rest is here:

Manufacturing growth slows as Brexit and cost-of-living problems weigh - Bridport and Lyme Regis News

Bord Iascaigh Mhara has today confirmed the Brexit Blue Economy Enterprise Development Scheme is officially open for applications.

The 25 million scheme offers grants to enable coastal communities to restructure, reconfigure, retrain, and diversify post-Brexit, with companies and communities within 10km of the coastline qualifying.

Marine Minister Charlie McConalogue says the scheme will help strengthen and rejuvenate coastal communities.

**************

Release in full

Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Irelands Seafood Development Agency, has today(Friday 3 June, 2022)announced the Brexit Blue Economy Enterprise Development Scheme is officially open for applications for grant funding to enable coastal communities to restructure, reconfigure, retrain, and diversify post-Brexit.

An initiative of the Government of Ireland, and administered by BIM, the Brexit Blue Economy Enterprise Development Scheme aims to counter the adverse economic and social consequences of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on businesses operating in the blue economy and located in communities within 10km of the coastline.

The Scheme, the largest of its kind ever, will have a 25 million budget available for the years 2022 and 2023, funded under the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve.

The Scheme will be delivered through the existing Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs). The Fisheries Local Action Groups uniquely focus local development funding specifically for areas within 10kms of the sea around the entire coast, precisely the communities that are most impacted by Brexit.

The Scheme is one of the recommendations of the Seafood Sector Taskforce, established by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D. in March 2021 to mitigate against the impacts of Brexit on the wider Irish seafood industry and coastal communities.

Welcoming todays announcement theMinister Charlie McConaloguesaid:

The blue economy is the beating heart of Irelands rural coastal communities. This new Scheme is designed to help strengthen and rejuvenate those communities by giving businesses an opportunity to apply for funding for their blue economy activities in areas including seafood, coastal tourism, boat building and maintenance, marine recreation, and renewable energy initiatives.

Stimulating entrepreneurial activity, providing mentoring to help businesses adapt and find new opportunities and helping people train or retrain to allow them to keep and use their marine skills within the blue economy will enhance the profitability and economic viability of these communitys post Brexit. Grants of up to 200,000 are available and can be used to cover capital investment projects, along with mentoring and training.

In Ireland, 1.9 million people live within 5km of the coast and many communities along the Irish coast depend on industries including tourism, fishing and aquaculture. Launching the SchemeJim OToole, CEO BIM, referred to the unique identity of Irelands coastal communities and how this latest scheme will help to stimulate already established businesses, and new business ideas, in these communities.

The seafood sector is an important contributor to Irelands coastal communities and combined with other blue economy activities, gives Irelands coastal communities a unique and rich heritage for those who live and work in them and for those who visit. This new scheme will help these communities adapt to new market realities in the post-Brexit landscape by stimulating further growth of the blue economy.

Full details about theBrexit Blue Economy Enterprise Development Scheme, including how to apply can be found onbim.ie

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BIM's Brexit initiative now open for applications - Highland Radio